SINGAPORE, Jan. 6 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Temasek Holdings would like to
express its deepest sympathy to the victims and survivors of the tsunami which
left thousands dead and millions hurt and homeless across South and Southeast
Asia. Temasek is committed to a multi-pronged approach to support the relief,
recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Ms Ho Ching, CEO of Temasek, said, ''The horrific scale of this tsunami is
unprecedented, touching lives and nations even as far away as Sweden. We send
our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who have died in
the tsunami. Our hearts are also with those whose loved ones are missing or
uncontactable. We will continue to do our part to help in the recovery and
reconstruction efforts, especially in the worst hit areas. This is one
concrete way to re-affirm our common bonds of humanity with the survivors in
their hour of need.''
''We have set aside US$10 million for relief, recovery and reconstruction
support. We have already disbursed or committed US$1 million for immediate
relief in the first week of the disaster. The balance is earmarked for
recovery and reconstruction efforts in the coming weeks and months, especially
in the worst hit area of Aceh. Apart from funds, we have also leveraged on
our network of partnerships with companies, NGOs, governments and private
groups to focus on resolving issues such as logistics, water, communications
and medical care, to help aid to reach those in need. We will continue to
work with partners to support the recovery and reconstruction efforts'', Ms Ho
added.
A small team of Temasek staff was activated and recalled immediately from
their year-end holiday when news about the disaster broke. The team has been
working proactively to identify areas of need and to liaise with the relevant
organisations, companies and agencies to ensure that emergency assistance can
reach the ground effectively. Temasek's support is essentially in three
phases:
Phase 1 -- immediate disaster relief. Temasek has been working with the
Singapore Red Cross, Mercy Relief and NTUC Fairprice to support their effort
to send food, water and medical supplies to victims in the affected countries
in the region.
Phase 2 -- short-term disaster recovery. These include provision of
community support systems such as power and water supplies, doctors,
communications systems to facilitate disaster recovery and prevent epidemics
over the next few weeks. These efforts are sponsored jointly with
Temasek-Linked Companies (TLCs) and other private and public organisations.
For example, at the request of Indonesian parties, Temasek worked with
volunteer doctors from Alexandra Hospital to organise and prepare for possible
airlift for victims in Banda Aceh suffering from serious injuries to Singapore
for treatment. Temasek is also partnering Hyflux, a company specializing in
water-related technology, to supply water generation as well as water
purification systems to Aceh.
Phase 3 -- medium-term reconstruction. This includes reconstruction and
rebuilding of basic infrastructure for the community such as hospitals,
schools, power and water systems. It may also include assistance for
post-trauma rehabilitation of victims and their medical care including
counselling.
Mr Ong Boon Hwee, a Managing Director of Temasek who leads the tsunami
relief workgroup in Temasek, added, ''We are very heartened by the responsive
initiatives by the TLCs such as ST Engineering, Keppel Engineering, SIA, Tiger
Airways, NOL-APL, PSA and SembCorp Logistics, among many others. We are
working with various TLCs and many other companies to bring together
capabilities, equipment and personnel to provide support in communications,
logistics, supplies and other services in Aceh, Phuket, Sri Lanka, Maldives,
and elsewhere. Others like SembCorp Environmental Management, MediaCorp, DBS,
and many others, have also lent their support in fund raising.''
''Our Indonesian companies -- Bank Danamon, BII and Indosat have also been
contributing to the relief efforts in some of the badly hit areas in the
immediate aftermath of the earthquake and tsumami. Their staff rallied around
their affected colleagues, and have begun to reach out to others in the
community under very difficult environment. We are supporting them in their
fund raising efforts. Staff in Indosat have also made tremendous efforts under
trying conditions to assess damage, bring in equipment and restore cellular
operations very quickly,'' added Mr Ong.
In the coming weeks, Temasek will continue to work with the various
companies and relevant agencies to see how we can best contribute to the
disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts.
The staff of Temasek, led by the voluntary Temasek Cares Committee, is
also raising additional funds for Mercy Relief to provide medical supplies and
health-related equipment for the Aceh victims and relief workers.
About Temasek Holdings
Temasek Holdings is an Asia investment company headquartered in Singapore.
We are committed to maximising long-term shareholder value as an active
investor and shareholder of successful enterprises.
Established in 1974, we manage a diversified global portfolio of S$90
billion, spanning Singapore, Asia and the OECD economies. Our investments are
in a range of industries: telecommunications and media, financial services,
property, transportation and logistics, energy and resources, infrastructure,
engineering and technology, as well as pharmaceuticals and biosciences.
Singapore-based Temasek-linked companies include well-known listed firms
such as Singapore Airlines, SingTel, DBS Bank, SMRT Corporation and Neptune
Orient Lines. Our recent investments include ICICI Bank, Matrix Laboratories
and the Apollo Hospital group in India, Bank Danamon and Bank Intersional
Indonesia in Indonesia, Quintiles Transnational Corp in the US, as well as
Telekom Malaysia.
For more information, please visit: http://www.temasekholdings.com.sg .
For media enquiries, please contact:
Eva Ho, Director, Corporate Communications,
Temasek Holdings (Pte) Ltd
DID: +65-6828-6763
Mobile: +65-9617-6234
Email: evaho@temasek.com.sg
Serene Lee, Assoc. Director, Corporate Communications,
Temasek Holdings (Pte) Ltd
Tel: +65-6828-6765
Mobile: +65-9692-0918
Email: serenelee@temasek.com.sg
SOURCE Temasek Holdings
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Related links:
http://www.temasekholdings.com.sg
CONTACT:
Serene Lee of Temasek Holdings,
+65-6828-6765, or mobile, +65-9692-0918, or
serenelee@temasek.com.sg
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